# CVE-2026-116586: Go JOSE stack overflow in JSON parsing

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-116586-go-jose-provides-an-implementation-of-the-javascript-object  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-26. Updated: 2026-10-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-116586 · Severity: medium · CVSS 4 · Published 2026-10-26

Go JOSE is a library that implements JSON Web Encryption, Signature, and Token standards in Go. Applications using Go JOSE to parse untrusted JSON can crash due to stack overflow when processing deeply nested arrays or objects, resulting in denial of service.

Technologies: [github.com/go-jose/go-jose/v3 (Go)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/github-com-go-jose-go-jose-v3), [github.com/go-jose/go-jose/v4 (Go)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/github-com-go-jose-go-jose-v4), [Go-Jose](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/go-jose-go-jose). Vendors: [Go](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/go), [Go-Jose](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/go-jose).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-116586 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-116586 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-116586?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 4, published 26 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** github.com/go-jose/go-jose/v3 (Go) <= 3.0.5, SEMVER:introduced=0,last_affected=3.0.5; github.com/go-jose/go-jose/v4 (Go) < 4.1.5, SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=4.1.5; Go-Jose before 4.1.5.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-116586?** Yes. github.com/go-jose/go-jose/v4 (Go): upgrade to 4.1.5 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-116586 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-116586?** Check whether you run github.com/go-jose/go-jose/v3 (Go), github.com/go-jose/go-jose/v4 (Go) or Go-Jose at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- github.com/go-jose/go-jose/v4 (Go): upgrade to 4.1.5 or later

  ```sh
  go get github.com/go-jose/go-jose/v4@v4.1.5
  ```


## Technical details

A stack overflow vulnerability exists in go-jose's JSON parser prior to version 4.1.5, where deeply nested JSON arrays or objects can exceed Go's stack limit during parsing. The vulnerability occurs in the json/scanner.go component when parsing attacker-controlled input. The fix implements a maximum nesting depth limit of 10000 levels to prevent stack exhaustion.

## Affected products

- go-jose go-jose before 4.1.5

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-116586
- GHSA-vvm8-gf78-28g4

## Timeline

- 2026-10-26: disclosed
- 2026-09-03: patched

## References

- [https://github.com/go-jose/go-jose/commit/a31af25836222f4c45d366d6e8f9b1049dd9935a](https://github.com/go-jose/go-jose/commit/a31af25836222f4c45d366d6e8f9b1049dd9935a)
- [https://github.com/go-jose/go-jose/pull/290](https://github.com/go-jose/go-jose/pull/290)

## Related threats

- [Go JOSE RSA parameter validation denial of service](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-116587-go-jose-provides-an-implementation-of-the-javascript-object)
- [Go JOSE panic on empty JWE ciphertext](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-116585-go-jose-provides-an-implementation-of-the-javascript-object)
- [Go JOSE denial of service via panic in JWE decryption](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-34986-go-jose-denial-of-service-via-panic-in-jwe-decryption)
- [GO-2025-3485 - DoS in go-jose Parsing in github.com/go-jose/go-jose](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-27144-dos-in-go-jose-parsing)
- [GO-2024-2631 - Decompression bomb vulnerability in github.com/go-jose/go-jose](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2024-28180-go-jose-vulnerable-to-improper-handling-of-highly-compressed-data)